The Equalizer Premieres Well, Super Bowl LV Takes a Hit

After some delays, we finally know how the Super Bowl LV performed in the ratings.

It was one of the smaller crowds in recent memory, but it was still a huge result.

The multiplatform coverage of the big event delivered 96.4 million viewers, easing around five percent year-to-year.

However, the big event managed 5.7 million viewers on streaming to become the most live-streamed NFL game ever.

This could be attributed to the rise of streaming as more and more people are gravitating away from costly subscriptions.

Last year’s Super Bowl LIV amassed 102 million viewers across Fox, Fox Deportes, and all digital properties, with viewership on Fox alone totaling 99.9 million.

CBS in 2019 totaled 100.7 million for its coverage, which at the time marked a 10-year low.

it's not uncommon for ratings to be on the downside in today's TV climate. There are so many different ways to watch TV, but live offerings typically perform better.

The Equalizer Season 1 Episode 1 followed the game with 20.4 million viewers and a 5.1 rating in the adults 18-49 demo -- a solid launch.

The Queen Latifah-led drama managed to have decent reviews, but the true test will be in how many of those viewers stick around in the coming weeks.

That being said, the series could drop to around a 0.5 rating and still stand a solid chance at renewal.

In 2020, The Masked Singer was considerably stronger out of the Super Bowl, boasting 23.7 million viewers and an 8.1 rating.

The World's Best did 22.2 million viewers in 2019, while This Is Us drew 27 million viewers in 2018.

What are your thoughts on the ratings?

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Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.